I’m just gonna listen to Dopesmoker and try to put this out of my mind until Saturday night. I urge you to do the same.
But First, the Highlights:
Game Notes:
- Your TOI Leader was Adam Larsson with 24:49 logged.
- The Kraken ran out of gas to the middle and end of the game, but I think the most crushing part of this game was, at the end of it…how winnable it actually was. The Kraken were up 2-0 off of an excellent first period where they managed to keep their opponent pinned for pretty much 90% of it…right up until the 2nd period, where the Avs woke right up and became the Avalanche…again. That’s hardly any consolation, but there were plenty of chances where burying even one goal on the multiple half-decent and really decent chances they got from Colorado could’ve become a backbreaker, or at the very least make sure we’re going to Overtime. There was something there. They just lost it when the Avs shifted into 12th gear.
- 0-for-2 on the power play. This is why I kept hammering home the power play as a major issue; in games like this where the Avs are capable of doing this at any moment…you need to bury chances, and you need to use that man-advantage. The power play was stiff, lifeless, and was just as susceptible towards losing the game as the meek defense against that Avalanche surge was. Hakstol and company must find a way to fix this in the next two games. It’s killing them far more than any concerns on goaltending ever could.
- Speaking of which, Grubauer gave the team a .926 SV% by the end of it all and largely kept them in it most of the game. The offense just couldn’t find that third goal that could’ve shifted everything. Maddening.
Any Bright spots?:
Sure, I suppose there were a couple.
- While the power play is hot dog water, the penalty kill has actually been really good, and Brandon Tanev’s shorthanded tally only strengthened that. This is something to build off of!
- Got another point out of Tolvanen, Justin Schultz got a goal, and Yanni got a decent assist. The Depth is showing up when they need it most. Just need more from the top line.
- Honestly, Philipp Grubauer’s been amazing. He’s been giving them opportunities to win. Just gotta take it.
- However you slice it, this series is split and for large chunks of it the Kraken have been leading both the possession battle and the scoring. That’s something Colorado couldn’t have been expecting to deal with in Round 1. You go to Climate Pledge (team and fans) and make these Avs realize just how hard it is to keep focus when Seattle gets loud.
Keep Calm, and Post Zoidberg When We Win.
Let’s grouse about the game after taking a look at the NaturalStatTrick.com Charts:
The series shifts back to Seattle and Climate Pledge Arena, where the Kraken will go to Game 3 to hopefully re-take the series lead. That game drops the puck on Saturday at 7pm PT.
We’ll see you there. Go Kraken.
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